Dresden Open Data Portal - Public Transit Datasets

Dresden provides comprehensive Open Data datasets through the municipal geodata portal. This documentation provides an overview of available public transit-related datasets and demonstrates how to access them.

Accessing the Data

OGC API Features (OAF)

The datasets are available through a standardized OGC API Features interface.

Base URL:

https://kommisdd.dresden.de/net4/public/ogcapi/collections/{LAYER_ID}/items

Features are returned as GeoJSON (application/geo+json). The list of collections and their metadata are available as JSON with ?f=json.

The server publishes its own OpenAPI document at https://kommisdd.dresden.de/net4/public/ogcapi/Api, but it only covers the landing page, conformance and collection list. A description of the feature endpoints used here is available at openapi/opendata.yaml.

Query Parameters

• limit: Maximum number of returned features. Without it, all features of the collection are returned
• bbox: Bounding box as minLon,minLat,maxLon,maxLat in WGS84
• crs: Output coordinate system, http://www.opengis.net/def/crs/EPSG/0/4326 (default) or http://www.opengis.net/def/crs/EPSG/0/25833

offset is not supported and returns an error. Filtering by attribute values is not supported either; unknown parameters are ignored. Errors are returned with HTTP 200 as a JSON object with code and description.

Coordinate System

• EPSG:4326 (WGS84) for GeoJSON output by default
• EPSG:25833 (ETRS89 / UTM zone 33N) for internal storage, also available via the crs parameter

Overview of Available Public Transit Datasets

🚊 DVB-specific Datasets

DVB Service Points (L1087)

• Description: Locations of DVB customer service points and service locations
• Format: Point (GeoJSON)
• Attributes: art (type), name0 (name), url (website)

🚋 Tram Datasets

Infrastructure

• Tram Tracks (L124)

  • Route of tram rails
  • Geometry: MultiLineString

• Traffic, Tram Tracks (L80)

  • Detailed cartographic representation
  • Additional infrastructure information

• Bridges over Tram Tracks (L76)

  • Overpasses over tram rails

• Bridges under Tram Tracks (L77)

  • Underpasses under tram rails

Line Routes

• Tram Lines (L457)

  • Main dataset with all tram lines
  • Attributes:
    • slinie: Line number
    • anfang/ende: Start and end stops
    • takt: Service frequency. All tram lines have 6.0, which matches a 10-minute frequency, so this is likely departures per hour (unconfirmed)
    • takt_bemerkung: Frequency as text, e.g. oft (frequent)
    • verkehrsmittel: Transport mode type (STRABA)
    • url_linienaenderung: Link to current changes
  • Geometry: MultiLineString (line route)

• Individual Lines (L457..1 to L457..12)

  • Separate layers for each tram line (1-13)
  • Identical structure to main dataset

Environmental Data

• Tram Noise Index L_Night (L1511)

  • Nighttime noise levels from trams
  • Raster format with dB(A) values

• Tram Noise Index L_DEN (L1518)

  • Day-evening-night noise index
  • EU-compliant noise mapping

🚌 Bus Datasets

Line Routes

• Bus Lines (L1076)

  • Main dataset with all bus lines
  • Attributes:
    • buslinie: Line number
    • anfang/ende: Start and end stops
    • takt: Service frequency, likely departures per hour (values between 0.01 and 7.0, unconfirmed)
    • takt_bemerkung: Frequency as text, oft (frequent) or selten, nach Bedarf (infrequent, on demand)
    • verkehrsmittel: Type (SBUS, etc.)
  • Geometry: LineString or MultiLineString

• Individual Bus Lines (L1076..1 to L1076..47)

  • Separate layers for lines 61-424 and special lines
  • Also includes Alita on-demand taxis (95, 97)
  • Regional buses (98A-C, 160, 226-261, 333-424)

Infrastructure

• Tour Bus Parking (L738)
  • Locations for tour buses
  • Point geometry with capacity information

🚏 Stop Datasets

Stops with Accessibility Information (L1233)

• Most comprehensive stop dataset
• Important Attributes:
  • hst_name: Stop name
  • steig: Platform number
  • verkehrende_linien: Serving lines
  • verkehrsmittel: Transport mode type, e.g. Bus, Straßenbahn, Straßenbahn und Bus
  • globale_id: DHID of the platform, e.g. de:14612:13:3:5
• Accessibility Attributes:
  • best_einstieg: Boarding accessibility rating (10-50)
  • bordhoehe: Curb height in cm
  • breite: Waiting area width in m
  • ls_txt: Tactile paving strips present
  • afs_txt: Tactile guidance strips present
• Coordinates: Point (WGS84)

🗺️ Additional Transport-related Datasets

Traffic Noise

• Rail traffic noise (L796, L797, L914, L911)
• Road traffic noise (L795, L798, L912, L913)

Transport Infrastructure

• Public roads (L592, L1264)
• Ferries and landing stages (L81)
• Bridges and tunnels (L79, L48)

Accessibility

• Accessibility info portal - Transport (L1171)
• Accessible entrances (L1172)

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Code Examples

Python Example: Fetching Tram Lines

import requests
import json

# Fetch all tram lines
url = "https://kommisdd.dresden.de/net4/public/ogcapi/collections/L457/items"
params = {
    "limit": 50  # More than the number of tram lines
}

response = requests.get(url, params=params)
data = response.json()

# Output lines sorted by number
for feature in data["features"]:
    props = feature["properties"]
    print(f"Line {props['slinie']}: {props['anfang']} - {props['ende']}")
    print(f"  Frequency: {props['takt']} ({props['takt_bemerkung']})")
    print(f"  Changes: {props['url_linienaenderung']}")
    print()

JavaScript Example: Finding Accessible Stops

// Search for stops with good accessibility
const url = 'https://kommisdd.dresden.de/net4/public/ogcapi/collections/L1233/items';
const params = new URLSearchParams({ limit: 100 });

fetch(`${url}?${params}`)
  .then(response => response.json())
  .then(data => {
    // Only stops with good accessible boarding (value 10)
    const accessible = data.features.filter(
      f => f.properties.best_einstieg === 10
    );

    console.log(`${accessible.length} accessible stops found`);

    accessible.forEach(stop => {
      const p = stop.properties;
      console.log(`${p.hst_name} (Platform ${p.steig})`);
      console.log(`  Lines: ${p.verkehrende_linien}`);
      console.log(`  Curb height: ${p.bordhoehe} cm`);
    });
  });

curl Example: Filter Bus Lines by Frequency

# Fetch all frequently running bus lines
curl -X GET \
  "https://kommisdd.dresden.de/net4/public/ogcapi/collections/L1076/items?limit=100" \
  | jq '.features[] | select(.properties.takt_bemerkung == "oft") |
         {line: .properties.buslinie,
          route: (.properties.anfang + " - " + .properties.ende)}'

Using with QGIS

1. Add Layer: Layer → Add Layer → WFS Layer
2. Enter URL: https://kommisdd.dresden.de/net4/public/ogcapi/collections/
3. Select Layer: e.g., L457 for tram lines
4. Adjust Style: Color by line number

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Notes and Limitations

Data Currency

• Line routes are updated regularly
• Construction-related changes not always included

Performance

• Without limit, a request returns the whole dataset. Paging with offset is not supported; use bbox to fetch smaller parts
• GeoJSON format can become large with complex geometries
• Observe cache headers for efficient usage

License

• Open Data License of the City of Dresden
• Attribution required: “Landeshauptstadt Dresden”
• Commercial use permitted

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Additional Resources

Official Documentation

• Dresden Open Data Portal
• OGC API Features Specification

Tools and Libraries

• Dresden Open Data Suche - Search all datasets of the Dresden open data portal and view them on a map
• opendata-dresden - Source of the search page above, plus a CLI and MCP server for the same data
• QGIS - Open Source GIS for geodata visualization